Investigation of Potential Recovery Rates of Nickel, Manganese, Cobalt, and Particularly Lithium from NMC-Type Cathode Materials (LiNixMnyCozO2) by Carbo-Thermal Reduction in an Inductively Heated Carbon Bed Reactor

Abstract

Within the e-mobility sector, which represents a major driver of the development of the overall lithium-ion battery market, batteries with nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) cathode chemistries are currently gaining ground. This work is specifically dedicated to this NMC battery type and investigates achievable recovery rates of the valuable materials contained when applying an unconventional, pyrometallurgical reactor concept. For this purpose, the currently most prevalent NMC modifications (5-3-2, 6-2-2, and 8-1-1) with carbon addition were analyzed using thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry, and treated in a lab-scale application of the mentioned reactor principle. It was shown that the reactor concept achieves high recovery rates for nickel, cobalt, and manganese of well above 80%. For lithium, which is usually oxidized and slagged, the transfer coefficient into the slag phase was less than 10% in every experimental trial. Instead, it was possible to remove the vast amount of it via a gas phase, which could potentially open up new paths regarding metal recovery from spent lithium-ion batteries.

Investigation of Hydrogen Reduction of LiCoO2 Cathode Material for the Recovery of Li and Co Values

“…The effect of reduction time (30−120 min) was studied at an optimum temperature of 800 °C using pure and mixed hydrogen. The corresponding responses shown in Figure 4c,d reveal a marginal increase in saturation magnetization (∼7 emu/g) and a decrease in Li recovery (70−51%) with time (60−120 min), probably due to evaporation of LiOH/Li 2 CO 3 at higher temperatures 37 with an increase in residence time. Co dissolution was not much affected with time; hence, a reduction time of 60 min was optimum at 800 °C using hydrogen with 77% Li recovery.…”

Optimization of a Pyrometallurgical Process to Efficiently Recover Valuable Metals from Commercially Used Lithium-Ion Battery Cathode Materials LCO, NCA, NMC622, and LFP

“…As in previous experimental series [26,28], all tests conducted within the scope of this study strictly followed a standardized practical scheme, comprising preparation, experimental procedure, sampling, and analyzing steps. In general, it must be noted that instead of using the continuous InduRed reactor concept, a batch processing lab-scale model with almost identical properties was used.…”

“…However, these processes are likely to face the problem of lithium slagging and metal phosphide formation [26]. Although Li and P are only present in small concentrations compared to the overall battery weight, both elements are found on the EU's list of critical raw materials with increasing economic value and therefore have to be recycled [27,28]. Next to these technical recycling options, a recycling-oriented design of LIBs, with a more rational design of the module and battery pack itself, easier to handle materials, and a better configuration, could ease the recycling process.…”

Influence of Impurities on the High-Temperature Behavior of the Lithium-Ion Battery Cathode Material NMC under Reducing Conditions for Use in the InduRed Reactor Concept

“…So far, experiments with pure cathode material from battery production with the addition of carbon in a labscale model of the InduRed reactor have already revealed promising results, in which up to 95% of the initial Li was removed from the residual material. In addition, initial results from the investigation of the phosphorus-containing cathode material LFP (LiFePO4) have also shown that over 64% phosphorus could be removed (Holzer et al, 2021;Windisch-Kern, Holzer, Ponak, Hochsteiner, & Raupenstrauch, 2021;Windisch-Kern, Holzer, Wiszniewski, & Raupenstrauch, 2021).…”